As green and white confetti rained down from the ceiling of U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis last night, all eyes were on Nick Foles, the backup quarterback-turned-Super Bowl MVP.

Less than five seconds into his post-game interview, Foles acknowledged God as he held his baby girl and took in the victorious moment the city of Philadelphia has been waiting for since 1933.

“Unbelievable. All glory to God,” Foles said.

“I wouldn’t be out here without God, without . I can tell you that first and foremost,” he shared later, during his post-game press conference. “I don’t have the strength to come out here and play this game like that. And that’s an everyday walk. We have struggles as people, and that’s just been my rock. And my family.”

The Eagles’ head coach, Doug Pederson, was also quick to shift the glory away from himself, saying, “I can only give the praise to my for giving me this opportunity.”

Similar thoughts were expressed by one team member after another throughout the year, as the Eagles defied major setbacks and a steady stream of voices insisting they wouldn’t beat a team as strong as the New England Patriots. But then they did. And instead of allowing themselves to be hailed as gods by a green-blooded fan base in Philly, the Eagles’ top performers are pointing to on and off the field, win or lose.

The interesting thing I think that people don’t realize, especially with the Philadelphia Eagles—there has been a Christian culture, strong, I would say, since the days of Reggie White.It’s not unusual for an individual player or coach to credit God for a win, but there seems to be something extraordinary about this championship team and the tumultuous season that led them to the Super Bowl.

“The interesting thing I think that people don’t realize, especially with the Philadelphia Eagles, there has been a Christian culture—strong, I would say—since the days of Reggie White.”

White played eight seasons with the Eagles, starting in 1985, and was voted by ESPN SportsNation as the greatest player in the franchise’s history. Behind the scenes, he led a team Bible study and shared the with his teammates.

Winsley says Troy Vincent picked up the baton after White left. Then Brian Dawkins. As the team evolved over the years, the leadership role passed through the hands of a host of players, including Nick Foles, who first came to the team in 2012. Winsley credits Foles with helping transform the Bible study into a more diverse, unified group. When the Eagles traded Foles in 2015, the group stayed strong as other players stepped up to lead, including this season’s starting quarterback, Carson Wentz.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, right, hands the Vincent Lombardi trophy to Nick Foles after winning the Super Bowl. Both men have shared their Christian faith with their teammates. Foles has said he hopes to become a pastor once his football career comes to a close.

“And then, of course, as you know, Nick Foles comes back,” Winsley said. “I just thought it was amazing, and I felt like there was just some unfinished business. I was like, ‘Man, who better to kind of walk with [Carson Wentz] than Nick?”

As the quarterback and the back-up quarterback joined forces at the beginning of the 2017 season—flanked by a faithful head coach and many other believers on the team—Winsley says the culture of the Eagles soared to new heights. Players who weren’t living for God watched the lives of those who were. They observed men who weren’t perfect but . And they wanted to be part of what they saw.

“The guys have been learning about being a part of the Kingdom [of Jesus Christ] and realizing that praying and going to church and Bible study—this isn’t religion, it’s ,” Winsley said. “And it becomes a lifestyle. And that is the major difference that has really, really taken place on this team.

“And so it’s amazing because, you know, does the whole team believe? Is the whole team Christian? No, but the entire team is being impacted by a Kingdom culture, and it’s causing them to become unified and to be a family.”

That sense of faith and unity off the field seems to have spilled over into game time.

Foles says it helped him keep his cool as he stepped onto the Super Bowl field for the first time—a back-up quarterback facing a seasoned champion. And Pederson certainly showed awe-inspiring composure as he called for “the Philly Special,” an audacious play the team secretly practiced for the past month, even going over it in the hotel ballroom before the game.

For Eagles fans across eastern Pennsylvania and around the country, the 2017-18 football season will go down in history as the best one ever. And for the players who have found unity through their faith in Christ, the victory is extra sweet. Because long after the last pieces of green and white confetti are swept up and thrown away, the Eagles brotherhood will stand. And, who knows? It just might spark a new kind of fire in the City of Brotherly Love.

Want to know more about the faith that fuels many of the Eagles?

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It is really encouraging and inspiring to read of these players enjoying this great fellowship through Jesus on a continuing basis…rain or shine. Oh that all Christian churches, family groups, businesses, schools and people gathered together everywhere could grab ahold of this concept of true Christianity and rejoice!

I am certainly not an Eagles’ fan by any means, but I share the same faith the players do. I believe in having a strong relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have seen what the fans are like in Philadelphia and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture compared to what the players are portraying. I know the majority of the players come from different parts of the country. So I do congratulate the a players for their win and faith. I hope that the fans will follow suit in becoming believers along with Weintz and Foles. Being a Cowboys’ fan really put a hateful rivalry between the two teams. I think it’s clear to me now that you can’t judge a city based on the actions of a few individuals and their detestable actions. Blessed be believers.

What an amazing example of the work of the Holy Spirit in these men who stand up without shame for the love of Jesus!! Lives are being changed. I am hopeful for our youth as they see Christ living in you!! You are their heroes and it’s time to have some great role models. Praying for you and giving praise to our Lord!! Great job!!

It is so wonderful to see people who are in the limelight not be afraid to praise Jesus in front of millions of people! Christians should never shy from publicly acknowledging Christ and letting their voices be heard! Our nation would be a much more shining beacon in this world if more Christians came forth and led more to Christ!!!

Praise Jesus!! God is so good to use these great men in the NFL to let others in the world know there is someone higher than them that gets the praise and glory!! Amen! Let’s get the message out there that there is a God and Jesus is coming soon so be ready!! Thank you, Jesus!! In a blink of an eye!!